Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 138, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 June 1912 — IN SAFETY MOVEMENT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

IN SAFETY MOVEMENT

ORGANIZATION OP RAILROAD MEN DOING GOOD WORK. Committees Formed of Employees Are Constantly on the Watch and Report at Once AIJ Possibly Dangerous Conditions. “Of the 236,841 trainmen employed on the railroads of the United States

in 1911, one out of every 19 4 wa 4 killed, and one out of every eight was injured.” “Of the 91,694 yardmen employed, one out of every 187 was killed, and one out of every eight was injured.” “Taking all railroad employees, covering trainmen, yardmen, bridgemen, trackmen and crossing watchmen, total-

Ing 1,648,033, one out of every eight was injured. These ular Mechanics. “In the west an organized movement for safety has been started among railroad men,” the article says. “In September of 1911, officials of the ’Frisco road, inaugurated a ‘safety first’ movement to reduce, so far as possible, casualties on their lines. This ‘safety first’ movement has crystallized in the form of committees organized on each of the ten divisions and in the three shops, who are constantly on the watch for conditions by which life and safety are endangered in their territory. “The committee members are supplied with report cards printed, *1 have noticed . . . ’ to be filled out with suggestions for . remedying defects in roadbed, station platforms or operation of rolling stock, which might some time cause loss of life or limb. “Each member of a division committee goes over the main line and terminals of that division once a month, his expenses and time being paid by the railroad company. Some of the division men inspect the shops and some of the shop men inspect the divisions each month, being assigned particular points to observe. “A central committee meets onoe a month and considers all of the suggestions and complaints. They illustrate the bulletins with a great many photographs, showing every-day acts of carelessness to impress upon each employee the necessity of being care--ful.”